Get Facts Before Criticizing Votes

September 18, 1988

WILLIAM FERRIS is correct in his Sept. 4 letter in the Volusia Sentinel that I voted against a bond issue to finance a land acquisition program approved by the people, and that I voted against selling a 983-acre tract on the St. Johns River to the state to add to Blue Spring State Park. But I think it's important for your readers to know why I voted against these issues.

The $16.5 million bond issue was on the agenda for an oral report. Instead, five minutes before lunch, the county staff placed a two-inch stack of papers in front of us and wanted us to vote on and approve the bond issue, approve the company that would sell the bonds and the interest rate we would pay.

I asked, ''Don't I get to read it first?'' and was asked, ''Don't you trust staff?'' I offered to give up my lunch hour, read it and vote on it after lunch. The rest of the county council and staff didn't want to wait. It was approved on a 6 to 1 vote. I don't think the people selected me to vote on issues I haven't read.

On voting against buying the land on the St. Johns River: The people of Volusia County approved a land-acquisition program to be paid for by the taxpayers. We bought this land for $5 million. We sold it to the state for $2 million. I didn't mind this, but I believed that we should have done it as we did the Osteen Ranch sale to the St. Johns River Water Management District.

Our name should be on the deed on a percentage basis. There should be language in the deed to protect the land for environmental purposes and there should be a reverter clause to give the taxpayers back their money if the state should ever sell the land.

The state has sold park land in the past and even allowed it to be used for landfills and cemeteries. One park I know of has a large prison on it. The people's money should be protected, to be used for what they voted on.

Ferris also accused me of encouraging my real estate clients, who own commercially zoned property, to seek annexation by Orange City to take advantage of more lax zoning and building regulations. That's their land to do with as they please. That's between them and the cities. I cannot make them, or stop them from annexing.

If Ferris would attend the county council meetings, he would get the total picture on each issue. I wish he would. We could listen to his comments on issues and he would know why we vote the way we do.